One phenomenon of the booming 1980s was the marked increase in the number of women in the local work force.

While the number of males in the work force grew by eight percent, the number of females increased twice as fast, by 17 percent, according to the 1991 census.

Child care provisions in Bermuda have adapted to support the needs of working mothers. However, companies in Bermuda have fallen woefully behind their overseas counterparts, which, in some cases, provide on-site child care facilities and generous maternity benefits for both parents.

The Bank of Bermuda commissioned a survey two years ago to gauge interest in an after-school programme. Mrs. Dianna Doe, manager of compensation and benefits at the bank, said the results were not encouraging.

"Many had already organised for family relatives to pick children up after school. Also, many schools now provide after-school care.'' However, staff have shown more interest in pre-school care, she said. Concern for women desperately seeking part time employment or alternative ways to pick up children after school spurred Ms Lucy Willitts, who formerly worked for the Bank of Bermuda, to pioneer the first after-school care operation on the island 10 years ago.

Her company, L'Ecole Service After School Care, has for 10 years picked up children, aged between four and 12, from schools. It has provided a relaxed environment for the children to wind down in, away from the disciplined environment at school, before the parents are free to pick their children up at 5.30 pm. She supervises children with their homework and offers refreshments and activities at Admiralty House, in Spanish Point.

"I had children of my own and being a single parent could identify with the problem experienced by other mothers who came to me while I worked in the personnel department,'' said Ms Willitts.

"There was definitely a market for after-school care, which was unheard of 10 years ago on a large scale. I packed in my job after 24 years at the bank and decided to pursue the idea,'' said Ms Willitts.

Although celebrating her company's tenth anniversary, she has one unfulfilled desire -- to expand her business.

"I wish there weren't so many restrictions,'' said Ms Willitts, who finds growth impossible without more than two vehicles.

She detects that child care facilities are, undoubtedly, better than those that existed 10 years ago. However, she is still concerned that there are parents who can't afford care.

"There is the latchkey situation. Children go home alone and find the key, let themselves in and lock the door. It is so sad.

"This does create problems. There is no supervision of what the child watches on television and this creates fear about what children are viewing.

"I find children today are more violent and their language is bad, which may be caused by TV or bad language heard at home.

"I agree that television could be a major factor in what happened in England,'' she said, referring to the tragic murder of toddler James Bulger by two 10-year-old boys.

One working mother interviewed by The Royal Gazette described employers attitudes to child care as "abysmal''.

"Companies would attract a more motivated and grateful work force if they would provide a high standard of day care,'' she said.

"The responsibility of holding down a demanding job and coping with the stress of worrying about inadequate day care is exhausting and has pushed me close to the edge,'' said the mother.

She also criticised the number of unlicensed child care workers. "There is an underground day care system, involving recently arrived Portuguese immigrants,'' she said. "While many are loving and good with children, there is the possibility that children could be in danger. Many of these women are uneducated, have no access to transport, barely speak English and fail to provide a stimulating environment.

"Some children in their care spend most of the day in dark rooms with the blinds pulled down in case the illegal worker is spotted with the child,'' she said.

The education officer responsible for early child education, Ms Alberta Dyer Tucker, said the Government provides a pre-school service for children aged four.

The service is available from 8.30 am to 3 pm. A pre-school, after-school facility, between 3 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., is available for children of working parents.

Ms Willitts said mothers often find someone in their parish providing after school care: "The child is in the mother's vicinity so she can easily pick her up after work, whereas I am in Spanish Point, so some parents come out of their way to pick up their children. People have more choice,'' said Ms Willitts.

"My biggest competitor is the Government. When I started, another frustration was that, having had help from Government to start-up initially, the next year Government started a pilot programme in the Dellwood Primary School.

"This was frustrating because it was a school that I was already ser vicing.

I couldn't compete with the Government's subsidised service. Numbers were cut in half when its programme spread to other schools,'' she said.

"The only thing I have against the Government's after-school care programme in the school that the child attends is that it makes a very long day for child.

"I take them to a completely different building,'' said Ms Willitts. "They mix with children from different schools. I service nine schools so there is much interaction. They kick their shoes off and relax.

"I have come to understand that I get them at the worst time, because they have been under heavy manners all day,'' she said.

L'Ecole Service After School Care also provides Christmas, Easter, mid-term and summer programmes, which have in the past involved children in local community activities.

A LABOUR OF LOVE -- Ms Lucy Willitts stands tall amid the group of youngsters for whom she provides after-school care. She is celebrating the tenth anniversary of her company, L'Ecole Service After School Care.